How the Peterborough Dodgeball Festival Is Inspiring Young People Through Sport
The Peterborough Dodgeball Festival is more than just a school sports event. Delivered by Living Better in partnership with The School Games, the festival helps young people across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire become more active, develop leadership skills, and enjoy positive experiences through sport. By bringing together primary and secondary school pupils, the event supports the School Games mission of creating inclusive opportunities for physical activity while inspiring the next generation of young leaders.
Through leadership training, teamwork and fun dodgeball activities, the festival provides children with the confidence, skills and motivation to stay active both in and beyond school. The event also highlights the power of collaboration between schools, local partners and community organisations to improve physical literacy and encourage lifelong participation in sport.
What Is The School Games Programme and Why Does It Matter?
The School Games is a programme funded by Sport England and other partners, and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust. Together, they are on a mission to put physical activity and school sport at the heart of every day school life, and provides young people with the opportunity to enjoy and learn through competition to achieve their personal best. A network of 450 School Games Organisers (SGOs) and Active Partnerships in each county work together to achieve The School Games five main outcomes:
- More pupils active during and beyond school
- Positive experiences through inclusive, accessible competition
- Stronger secondary school involvement
- Youth voice and leadership, and personal development
- Advocacy that gains support from local stakeholders
The Peterborough Dodgeball Festival plays an important role in supporting the key objectives of The School Games programme, creating opportunities for young people to be active, build confidence and develop valuable life skills through sport.
Through a combination of fun, inclusive activities and youth leadership opportunities, the festival helps:
- Increase participation in physical activity by offering exciting after-school sports experiences that encourage children and young people to stay active and engaged.
- Develop the next generation of young leaders by providing Year 10 students with hands-on leadership training, helping them build confidence, communication and teamwork skills that will benefit them both in school and beyond.
- Strengthen community partnerships across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough by raising awareness of Living Better’s work alongside The School Games and Sport England, helping to create future opportunities for investment, collaboration and the delivery of more school sport and physical activity programmes.
By bringing together primary and secondary schools, the festival not only promotes active lifestyles but also demonstrates the positive impact that sport can have on personal development, community engagement and lifelong participation in physical activity.
How Living Better Delivered the Peterborough Dodgeball Festival
As part of Living Better’s commitment to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough School Games programme, we regularly deliver events that encourage young people to get active, build confidence and develop essential life skills through sport. From Dodgeball Festivals to student leadership initiatives, these programmes bring schools and communities together to promote physical literacy, increase participation in physical activity, and create positive experiences that inspire lifelong enjoyment of sport. Following the success of similar events in South Cambridgeshire, it was Peterborough’s turn to experience the benefits of this exciting school sport festival.
In December, Living Better’s Children and Young People Lead, Abbie Mills, visited Thomas Deacon Academy to train Year 10 students from both Thomas Deacon Academy and St John Fisher Catholic Academy. The aim was to equip pupils with the leadership, communication and teamwork skills needed to become confident Dodgeball Leaders. The students then put their training into practice by delivering the Peterborough Dodgeball Festival to 79 Year 3 and Year 4 pupils from nine local primary schools.
Throughout the day, the young leaders guided participants through a variety of fun and inclusive dodgeball activities, helping children develop new skills, stay active and enjoy healthy competition. The event culminated in a friendly tournament where pupils could showcase what they had learned while celebrating teamwork and sportsmanship. While it was a busy and rewarding day for everyone involved, it also highlighted the powerful role that young people can play in inspiring others through sport.
We hope the Year 10 leaders will continue to apply the confidence, leadership and communication skills they developed throughout the festival in their education, future careers and wider communities. We also hope the primary school pupils leave with lasting memories, new friendships and an enthusiasm for dodgeball and physical activity that they can share with their classmates. Events like the Peterborough Dodgeball Festival demonstrate how school sport can have a positive impact far beyond the playing field, helping young people thrive both physically and personally.
“Teachers commented on how impressed they were with the leaders at the festival.” Hayley Jeal – Peterborough School Games Organiser
Student Feedback: How Leadership and Dodgeball Built Confidence?
Thomas Deacon Academy:
“Leadership opportunities like this, help develop your confidence!” Sophia, year 10
“Leadership opportunities like this, help make new friends!” Mia, year 10
St John Fisher Catholic Academy:
“I have learnt that a good leader makes anyone feel welcome.” Mata, year 10
“This leadership training helps us have good communication and makes sure that people are treated well, as a football team captain outside of school, that helps me a lot.” Kaylan, year 10
Creating a Lasting Impact Through Physical Activity and Youth Leadership
The success of the Peterborough Dodgeball Festival highlights the importance of listening to young people and creating opportunities that inspire them to be more active. Through our work with local schools, The School Games, and Sport England, Living Better has gained valuable insight into the types of sports and physical activities that children and young people want to take part in, particularly those who are currently the least active. This feedback is helping shape future school sport and physical activity programmes across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, ensuring that more young people can access activities they genuinely enjoy.
As a result of its popularity and positive impact, dodgeball festivals are now being delivered across all districts, providing even more opportunities for children to build confidence, develop teamwork skills and enjoy the benefits of regular physical activity. The Peterborough Dodgeball Festival is just one example of how giving young people a voice can help schools create engaging extra-curricular opportunities that increase participation and support lifelong healthy habits.
By empowering students to influence decision-making and take on leadership roles, schools can nurture important skills such as communication, collaboration, project management and confidence, both on and off the sports field. We look forward to seeing the continued impact of these initiatives and revisiting local schools to discover how students are putting their ideas into action.
Want to learn more about how Living Better is supporting young people through physical activity, school sport and leadership opportunities? Follow our latest news and keep an eye out for upcoming School Games events across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, including future Dodgeball Festivals and youth leadership programmes. Together, we can help more young people get active, build confidence and thrive.
